Navy accused of damaging fish farm and boats during exercise in New Zealand

An Australian warship has been accused of damaging boats and a fish farm in a picturesque New Zealand harbour during a training exercise.

Last week HMAS Warramunga was conducting advanced navigation training in Marlborough Sounds when the vessel allegedly passed through and made sharp turns at high speed, the ABC reports.

Paul Keating of advocacy group Guardian of the Sounds said a number of boats, a walkway and fish farm were damaged by what he described as "Maritime hoonery".

"Twelve people rang the harbour master that day to lay complaints and one of them was, I believe, from the salmon farm," he said.

But Marlborough Sounds harbour master Luke Grogan was unable to do anything other than inform the Commander of HMAS Warramunga about the complaints as military vessels are not bound by local speed restrictions

"Navy vessels operate outside our jurisdiction so in many ways my contacting the Navy was just to make a request that they consider the information that I was able to provide and perhaps alter their operations based on that information — and ultimately they did," Mr Grogan said.

In a statement the Defence Department said it was "aware of, and sensitive to, local aqua culture farms in the area, and following public concern adjusted its training."